


Beautiful Disaster

by Vampykitty_kun



Series: Without Expectations [6]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU - Comicverse, Robin (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Broken Bones, Cold Weather, Disappointment, Doctors & Physicians, Food Issues, Homelessness, Hospitals, Implied Underage, Lies, M/M, Nurses, Pining, Pneumonia, Prostitution, Regret, Secret Identity, Secrets, Shame, Snow and Ice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-18
Updated: 2014-02-28
Packaged: 2017-12-12 05:09:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/807632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vampykitty_kun/pseuds/Vampykitty_kun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every time he shut his eyes he could still see the hurt expression on Jason’s face, the one that asked ‘why?’, that said ‘I trusted you’… and pled ‘please don’t leave me’…</p><p>If Tim was concerned about Jason’s well-being before…he was a thousand times worse now.</p><p>***Will not make sense without parts 1-5</p><p>****Tags to be updated as story progresses</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It had been ten days since Degan’s arrest.

Ten days since he had betrayed Jason’s trust and had abandoned him.

For the most part anyway…

He had continued leaving meals for Jason, had left him the nice pair of waterproof boots, and all gifts were still being accepted without complaint. It was only a small comfort however. Tim was tired, oh so _very_ tired, still unable to sleep with his guilt and worries eating away at him.

Every time he shut his eyes he could still see the hurt expression on Jason’s face, the one that asked ‘ _why_?’, that said ‘ _I trusted you_ ’… and pled ‘ _please don’t leave me_ ’…

But it was for the best. Dick _knew_. He had been doing vigilante work for years. He had seen it all. If all that their _\- their friendship_ would bring was heartbreak… it was better to end things sooner rather than later.

…Right?

He had to keep telling himself that.

Otherwise it would only hurt more.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Patrol had been easy the past several nights, much to Tim’s displeasure. With less chaos happening within the city he was forced to think.

And Tim did not want to think, because thinking brought back memories, and memories felt like outright assaults on his person as of late. Memories of watching Dick, memories of his parents, regardless of how _little_ they had actually been in his life, memories of becoming Robin, of when he first came to start watching Jason… of the adrenalin filled _kiss_ from the other night that he had not been expecting… nor stopped...

He shook the thoughts from his mind, and pressed his forehead against the chilled marble of the gargoyle he was leaning upon, willing the oncoming headache to cease.

The weather as of late had been beastly as well. The snow rarely let up for more than a few short hours, and it surely was not melting during that time. The streets were constantly being plowed and the sidewalks salted, making Gotham seem gloomy all around, and him have to constantly have to wipe his lenses.

With a sigh, he dropped off the ledge of the building shooting a line out to swing down the block, ending with his feet on the ground before one of the many vendors.

They did not spare him odd glances anymore, treating him like any other paying customer. They were used to the strangeness of a ‘mask’ seeking sustenance. He was not sure if that amused him, or unnerved him at this point, but he only went to vendors and restaurants he knew were trustworthy when he was in costume.

He paid for his meals and secured them tightly before bolting down the street into the nearest alleyway.

He was back on the rooftops in a flash.

It did not take long to end up at their drop spot. He sighed as he touched down upon the rooftop, kicking a trail in the snow as he made his way towards the ledge, stopping just in front of it. He tied the plastic bag tight, and brushed away the remainder of the snow before depositing the bagged meal against the ledge.

He bounced on the fire escape as he left, sure to make a short lived ruckus, and dashed off across the rooftops.

He wished he could still sit down and share a meal with the older teen every now and again… just like they had used to. It had been nice to actually sit and have a conversation at dinner time with someone other than Alfred, on odd occasions Dick when in town, or in the rare case that Bruce was not busy in the cave for the night.

He ate his chili dog wrapped tightly within his cape under an overhang, safely hidden from the wind and snow, all the while missing the teen who had liked them so.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The night had felt horribly long. It had stayed uneventful throughout it, so much so that he had even met back up with Bruce for a few hours just to have some sort of company, even if much of the time was spent in silence.

When the hours had finally rolled past, he took the scenic route back to the manor, chancing a fly-by  past Jason’s street. It was nearing 4am, and he could not stop the frown that spread across his face when he realized the food was still there.

Evidently it was a _late_ night for Jason…

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Tim arrived at the manor early the next morning, pleased to discover that Dick had rolled in a half hour before him. They ate breakfast together with Alfred while Bruce slept in, the man finally getting some much needed rest, likely after a lecture from the old butler. His schedule was wide open, as was the other man’s so they blew half the day away mindlessly chatting as they watched one movie after another.

Dick was never lacking with the hugs and affection either.

All in all, it was a _good_ day, something Tim had most definitely needed.

Dick did not go on patrol however when the time came. Instead he left for Babs’ to spend the evening with her, leaving Tim to yet another solo patrol while Batman made his own rounds elsewhere.

At least things were a touch more lively to start with, not that it was really a _good_ thing. The snow had let up just shortly before they had left the cave, and by the time he had made it through the first hour he had thwarted a carjacking, saved a man from having an old neon sign crush him after a particularly strong gust of wind had dislodged it from the building face, and had disarmed a mugger before his potential victim had even noticed his approach.

It was only after the second hour came and went that he finally had a moment of peace to tend to other important things. He popped in on a pizza parlor and grabbed nearly half of an extra-large pizza’s worth of slices split between two containers before heading for their- _the_ rooftop…

He touched down atop the building with ease, kicking through snow less deep than the previous night … and then froze.

The bag he had left the night before remained in place, untouched throughout the night and day following, something that had never happened since he had started leaving food for the teen.

Tim clenched his jaw as he approached the plastic bag, plucking it from the ground with a scowl, rustling it to be sure its contents were still there and completely intact. He let out a frustrated sigh and let his shoulders slump in defeat.

He could only hope that wherever Jason had spent the night had at least fed him as well…

His chest tightened as he deposited the fresh food in its place and he turned to leave.

He stopped several streets over in his boredom and sour mood to feed some stray cats in the alley the day old food, seeing no need to waste it if it could be needed elsewhere.

The rest of the night dragged on slowly, leaving Tim with nothing but his thoughts once more.

Dick was back in the cave when he returned back to the manor. The man shot him a curious, worried look as he passed him by without a second glance, heading for the stairs.

He stayed the night in his room within the manor, forgoing heading home altogether, too cold, too tired, and too depressed to make the trip.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The following day he awoke to Dick sitting at the foot of his bed, a cup of coffee for him ready in hand, and a grin plastered across his face.

Whether or not Dick’s actions throughout the day were based upon his solemn mood the night before or not were a mystery, but he wasn’t about to complain about having company for another day, not when patrol later that night would be near unbearable if it followed the same slow pattern the past few nights had.

Dick was overly clingy, more so than usual, and somehow Tim just _knew_ that he was aware of just how roughly he was adjusting. Much to Tim’s relief he never brought it up though, just offered smiles, entertainment, and a shoulder to sleep on when he dozed off mid-day.

Dick was kind enough to let him sleep soundly tucked against his side until a half hour before patrol. Tonight he decided to join them for their run-through of the city, and Tim spent the first half of the night with both him _and_ Bruce before the three of them all split off to go their separate ways.

Shortly after, the snow falling from the sky went from being little more than a light dusting, to a full on thick sheet. He trudged on for an hour, wrapping up what little chaos had continued after the storm set in, before he swung off course and spending some time in an empty burger joint, eating a quick hot meal.

As per usual, he left with a bag to go, and went to hit his last stop before his trip back to the cave for the night.

Upon arrival, his stomach dropped...

Yet again, the previous night’s food was still there, this time a lone rat poking out of the bag. He stood frozen before it, panic welling up in his chest as he chewed at a lip, before finally bringing himself to approach it.

With a shaky sigh he shooed the creature away, replaced the old with new, and left the area, depositing the half eaten food into the trash as he went.

The snow was thick and wet as he made his way back to the manor, mind racing.

If the food remained there yet again in the morning, something would have to change.

Then something would be wrong…

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

He left the manor early that morning and returned home in the Redbird. He showered, packed a duffle bag full of clothes, and tossed it into the back seat of the car before tinkering with the license plates again just in case.

The trip out to Jason’s street was harsh on his mind. Two nights of no-shows in a row on top of very little sleep had his nerves shot and the dread welling up in his chest. He did not want to make assumptions, to think the worst, but the entire drive he could only think about the likeliness of the food he left several hours earlier still being there.

And Tim hated to be right as he stood before the bag in broad daylight, cape wrapped tightly about his shoulders. He took in a deep shaky breath as he retrieved it, clenching the bag in his fist as he bolted.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

He tossed the bag aside as leapt back into the Redbird, shifting both the car and himself back to civilian mode. He tidied his clothes, bundling himself up tastefully, and brushed his hair back. It was getting long, harder to achieve the look he was going for, but at the moment he could care less. He pulled sunglasses from the visor, slipped them on in place of his domino, and sped off down the street.

It was a bit of luck, but no comfort, to see Veronica propped up against the building, arms wrapped tightly across her front as her coat offered little more than flashy looks and a touch of a wind shield despite the freezing cold that had been blanketing Gotham.

He watched her reaction as he rolled up, recognition sparking in her eyes, curiosity… but no sympathy, no fear, and it helped to de-tense his muscles.

He drew in a deep breath as he rolled down the window beckoning her with a slight wave. A small smile spread across her face as she stepped forward, making her way to the curb, her body a never ending tremble.

“How ya doing handsome? Been a while since you passed through here if I’m not mistaken?’

He returned her smile, leaning against the door.

“I’m well, thank you. And yourself?”

She rolled her eyes, a soft chuckle breaking free from her lips as she cocked a hip.

“Managing, best I can with this weather. Gotham bites Hun.” She sighed, rubbing at her arms through the fabric. “Can I help you with somethin’?”

“As a matter of fact, you can. Do you know how Jay-Jay’s been, and if he’s around?”

The blonde’s face fell abruptly, and she shook her head sadly.

“Last I saw him he was a bit down in the dumps but otherwise alright. Ain’t seen him in a few days though, probably playing it safe and staying indoors until the storm passes. He doesn’t like the cold much. Pity… he’d have probably loved to see you roll on up.”

Tim sighed, shoulders slumping disappointment, as well as relief.

“Well, thank you anyway. It’s good to hear that he’s been well at the very least.”

“Been back out of town?”

Tim blinked, somewhat confused before remembering his choice of plates, before nodding.

“Yeah, I have been gone well over a week now I believe.”

She smiled warmly, and leaned forward against the door, tilting her head at him.

“Would you be interested in some company all the same handsome?” She purred pressing her chest against the base of the window.

He could only smile sweetly and shake his head.

“Sorry, but I really did only come for Jay…” He sighed, reaching beside him. “Regardless though, have a good night. Take a break, go someplace warm, and eat some dinner. Anything to get out of this weather. You’re shaking in your boots.” And with that, he tucked a bill into her hand, watching as her eyes grew wide.

“Well… gosh, thanks! If I see em’, I’ll let him know you were lookin’ for him.” She grinned, backing away from the vehicle.

Tim grinned, running a hand through his hair, smoothing it back once more.

“Thank you very much! Good bye Miss!”

And with that he waved her goodbye, feeling a touch more at ease as he headed back home to get a few more hours of sleep in if at all possible.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Tim only managed to squeeze in a single extra hour of sleep in the end. The snow had died down to just a dust by the time he had awoken, and when it came time to head to the manor it had stopped altogether. He was hopeful that the sky would stay clear for a while, make patrol all the more easy, a touch livelier, and perhaps with the absence of snow Jason would finally resurface even with the ground coverage.

When he arrived at the manor, Bruce was still asleep, and Dick had gone out with Barbara to see a movie, with plans to be back before patrol. So, with the absence of everyone other than Alfred, he simply went down to the cave, trained for a short while, before he ended up in the kitchen with the man helping him bake a large batch of cookies for later.

Bruce awoke well before Dick arrived home, and after stealing a cookie or two off the rack he had headed down to the cave himself, prepping things for patrol and suiting up.

Tim was nearly dressed, sans cape, when Dick finally rolled in and returned the borrowed car to its proper resting place within the garage.

Like the night before, they patrolled together, all three of them. Nights such as these were always nice. For Tim it was like old times, seeing Dick and Bruce move together, like a single entity, Dick shooting off the quips like no tomorrow. He always loved seeing the two together, and being right there beside them was loads better than just watching from afar.

The skies stayed clear throughout the night, and once they split up, and Tim had scoured his area handling what need be, he felt pretty content as he deposited another bag of food in the usual spot.

He held back for a while, watching the street for any sign of the older teen, but as a half hour came and went he started on his way back with a sigh, only able to hope that things were different tomorrow.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Veronica had either given him the slightest peace of mind, or he had simply finally crashed from sheer exhaustion, as he slept through much of the next day.

The household let him sleep until he awoke naturally, something he was grateful for, as it had left him well rested with his energy restored.

He showered quickly, and raided the fridge dressed in his sweats, Dick joining him after a time to pack away a bowl of cereal himself.

When he raced down to the cave an hour prematurely, suiting up at speed far from typical, Alfred expressed his concern.

“I have an errand to run… need to follow up on something from last night, and I would rather not take up patrol hours to take care of it so I’m heading out a bit early. I’ll meet up with Bruce, and Dick if he’s joining us again, when patrol begins unless I’m back sooner.”

“Very well, I shall pass the word along Master Tim.”

Alfred never pressed, and that Tim was thankful for.

The short ride there was spent with his heart hammering in his chest. When he was forced to leave the Redbird behind and take the rest of the journey on foot, he flittered across the rooftops at top speed.

He touched down upon the rooftop with practiced ease, a spray of wet slush shooting out around him as his boots hit the pavement, cape fluttering behind him.

He stood still for a long moment, eyes locked straight ahead, and his fists clenched at his side, before he moved.

Something was _wrong_.

_Very_ wrong, and he had been wasting time denying that…


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -x-x-x-x-x-x-
> 
> He touched down upon the rooftop with practiced ease, a spray of wet slush shooting out around him as his boots hit the pavement, cape fluttering behind him.
> 
> He stood still for a long moment, eyes locked straight ahead, and his fists clenched at his side, before he moved.
> 
> Something was wrong.
> 
> Very wrong, and he had been wasting time denying that…
> 
> -x-x-x-x-x-x-

 

He raced across the rooftop and shot off a line, latching it to the parapet of the building across, before swinging briskly across the street, daylight be damned.

The food was _still_ there. The weather had broken. The snow had stopped, the wind-chill was minimal, and the snow had even begun melting some. There was no reason for Jason to still be absent. Not unless something else was responsible for his abrupt disappearance.

He scanned the street frantically, searching for any sign of windswept raven hair and leather, and came up with nothing, no matter how many twists and turns he looked down.

He was shaking as he made it back to the Redbird and slammed its door open. He dove into the driver’s seat, securing the door behind him before he pulled his knees up to his chest, and clenched at his hair.

He needed to calm down. _Think_. Act as need be.

The com-link was first to go, turned off to avoid Bruce hearing his panic attack, should he tune into his frequency when he was inevitably late for patrol.

His nerves were on edge as he pulled out the dash tray and booted up the laptop, fingers twitching as the system loaded far too slowly for his current panicked state. He had not dared touch the programs set in place since the ‘mission’. He had not wanted to hear Jason, torment himself, or be far more of a creeper than he had been so very long ago when he had been watching him from afar.

Tim could only hope and pray that Jason had done as he had said he would. That he had kept the earring in even after their… argument. Otherwise he knew his chances of finding the teen were slim, and he did not have the time, nor nerve to run through the streets in civvies asking questions.

The audio program was the first thing opened once he was in, and he held his breath, pulse racing, when he was only met with silence. The sound bar on screen barely fluctuated, but the slightest of movements was _something_. He cranked the volume up to max, throwing a set of large headphones over his ears.

To his relief, the noise that barely registered on the screen faintly floated through his ears… and was _breathing_.

Faint, barely there breaths, but it was something… and that meant everything. It meant that regardless of whatever was going on he was _not_ too late.

Still, the dread did not let up, even as he brought up the tracking program and homed in on the signal’s positioning.

At the very least, Jason was close. Not far from where Tim usually saw him, and that was a small comfort as he would not be speeding off on a wild goose chase.

He thrust the Redbird on auto drive, setting its arrival to just a few streets away from the blipping dot on the screen, all the while downloading the signal onto an external device and mentally preparing himself.

When the car came to a halt, he wasted no time in locking it down and vacating it, before racing down the alleyway, and launching himself up onto the nearest roof. He stared down at the red dot on screen intently as he swung down the street.

The signal led him to the rooftop of an old apartment complex, long since condemned and abandoned, not that such a thing ever meant anything in Gotham’s slums. The brick parapet crumbled as he touched down, and to his dismay, the rooftop entrance had long since caved in. The fire escape looked decrepit, rusted, and unsteady as he stepped slowly onto its surface. It creaked and groaned with each step and Tim kept a tight hold on his grapple should he need it at a second’s notice. It was instable in the best of places, and overall it was a hazard to safety, with many of the lower levels so rotted away that one could not make it from the ground floor on up without a decent amount of skill and no regard for one’s health.

In actuality, it seemed right up Jason’s alley, since he had seen him get up fire escapes and onto rooftops with utmost ease with his own two eyes several times over.

The trip down the fire escape was slow and cumbersome. Each step had to be tested before putting his entire weight down or else risk injury upon collapse.  But Tim kept his sights set on the small blinking dot that grew ever closer as he moved.

Finding an entrance was far more difficult than he had expected. Most windows were long since bricked over, others sealed incredibly tight with boards too thick to break with ease, and he could not for the life of him figure out how Jason could be in the upper portion of the building with every possible entrance shut tight. He was nearly ready to start from the ground up, in case the teen really had just found a way up through the crumbling floors, when the last window he intended to check budged within his hands.

The boards appeared secure like the rest, but with some effort he managed to pop the largest free and set it aside before sliding in through the gap. He coughed as his feet touched down into the dusty hall kicking up a small cloud upon impact with the ragged carpet. The building really _was_ a mess, for lack of a better word. Holes in the floor boards, the carpet filthy and riddled with stains, the occasional singed patch sticking out as he made his way down the pathway. Trash littered the ground, and the walls were just as bad, wallpaper yellowed and peeling, plaster crumbling and breaking down in large chunks. The inside of the building looked just as hazardous as the fire escape outside from which he came. The apartments were closely spaced. Single units he supposed. Many doors were locked tight, others off their hinges, but none appeared to be occupied according to his heat sensors.

Although creaky and riddled with holes, the hall floors were far more stable than the rickety metal frame of the fire escape’s stairwell, so he was relieved to be able to move through them at a faster pace, following the blip closely. His heart hammered in his chest , and he drew in deep steady breaths in effort to keep himself calm, all while keeping his noise to a minimum.

When he finally came to the door blocking the entrance to the source of the signal he froze. His breath hitched in his throat, and his jaw clenched as he prepared himself, not knowing what to expect once he stepped through the doorway.

His hand fell to the corroded brass knob, and he twisted gently, the door seemingly unlocked. But once the door cracked open just inches it halted, a chain stretched across the gap.

With a sigh he pulled the door shut and dug within his belt. He pressed his ear to the door, along with a small square from within, a heavy duty magnet, and waited for a sign that he had caught hold of the lock’s head. Gradually he inched the square along, waiting for resistance, and once found he pulled it away briskly. A soft pound to the wooden door above the lock sent the slider from its entrance, and he braced himself as the chain thwacked at the wall upon its release.

There were no sounds of stirring from within, which only made the dread well up faster, and his stomach flop.

He turned the knob quickly, and pressed forward inching the door open just barely enough to slip inside, before shutting it tightly behind him.

The apartment was dark without light able to enter from the boarded up windows or a lamp to illuminate it. Tim pulled a flashlight from his belt and switched it on, blinking as it lit up the area before him. The apartment was little more than a large room, the walls in no better state than the hall’s, sans the addition of several worn posters and other such trinkets. It was cluttered, and filthy, and in total disarray. Tim was sure that if he paid attention, took the time to look around, he would only become more distraught with the teen’s living conditions, but there was simply no time.

In such a small dwelling, it had not taken long to find what he was looking for. A mattress that had seen much better days lay upon the floor in the far corner, and a mass of filthy threadbare blankets lay balled in the center, a tuft of unruly black hair poking from the top.

Tim swallowed the lump in his throat letting out a ragged breath as he took a step forward.

“Jason?” He murmured questioningly, watching closely for the slightest of movements and coming up with nothing.

The lack of response had him moving forward, walking to the edge of the bed. He was hit with a sour smell as he reached him, prompting a glance around, which found him staring down into a discarded take out box that had been serving as a sick bin.

His eyes fell back towards the bundled teen, barely able to make out the rise and fall of Jason’s side as he drew in each breath.

“…Jason?” He asked again, crouching down beside him.

The result was the same.

No acknowledgment whatsoever.

With a frown and shaky hand, he slowly pried back the heap of comforters, and propped the flashlight up on the crate serving as a nightstand.

Tim removed is gloves, stuffing them within the band of his belt before he reached forward to assess the teen. Jason’s skin was cold to the touch, even with the mass of blankets conserving body heat within the bundle he had created. He ran a hand through his bangs, brushing over his forehead, and he frowned at the eat radiating beneath his fingertips. Jason was running a high fever, for a length of time Tim had no way of knowing, and the cold combined with lack of movement was taking its toll. The teen’s lips were borderlining grey, his skin pale and waxy, and Tim’s chest clenched in panic.

He swallowed roughly, leaning forward, pulling Jason onto his back slowly, gently. He pressed his ear against the older boy’s chest and listened to him inhale and release a ragged gurgled breath. Still throughout these motions Jason did not wake, did not respond at all, not even as Tim began to shake him in effort to force a reaction, _any_ reaction.

Tim pressed his fingers against the teen’s neck, checking his pulse, only to find it weak and unsteady, making his own heart skip a beat. He chewed on his bottom lip, fisted his hands within his cape, and stared down at the pale flesh before him with unease.

There was no getting around it. This was not something he could fix, not on his own, not without help that would surely come at a price…

He brushed his thumb across Jason’s cheek, and squeezed his eyes shut as he reached into his belt, and pulled out his radio.

He swapped frequencies, hands shaking, as he brought the device close. The sharp beep sounded, echoing through the small room with a crackling hiss, and he braced himself, fingers digging into his thigh.

“R-Robin to Nightwing… please come in.”

He swallowed thickly, and he steadied his breath in the short wait, clutching the older teen’s hand within his own.

“ _Nightwing here, s’there an emergency Robin? What’s the situation?_ ”

Tim bit his bottom lip and let out a small whine before bringing himself to respond.

“Nightwing, I need help… I know you told me to end things, and I tried, I really, _really_ did… but something came up, and Jason disappeared, and when I finally caved and couldn’t take it anymore I found him. He’s in bad shape, really bad shape… He’s sick, non-responsive; pulse is weak and unsteady… He needs an emergency room Di- _Nightwing_. I need you here. I-I don’t know what to do…”

_“… I’m on my way. I’ll follow your signal- **if** you turn it back on of course… keep him warm and stable until I get there. I’ll think of something on the way. Nightwing out.”_

With a shaky sigh Tim let the radio slip to the floor as he gently coaxed Jason back onto his side. He scooted onto the lumpy mattress alongside him and pulled the teen’s head into his lap, curling his cape around them, before turning his tracers back on. He slid his hand back through Jason’s bangs, carding his fingers through the wavy raven locks. He curled his arm around his shoulder and leaned in, murmuring apologies, begging him to awaken.

How had things gone so wrong? How could Jason be perfectly fine one day, then suddenly drop the next? How long had he possibly been non responsive?

He _should_ have called him. Checked in on him sooner, if nothing else…. Made sure that things were alright. He should not have made assumptions.

He should have followed his gut and ignored Dick, no matter how good the man’s intentions were, no matter how truthful he had been about his own experiences.

Tim curled in on himself, wrapped around the shoulder of the older boy before him.

When Dick arrived not even ten minutes later, and found himself in the doorway to the apartment, he found the two as such. Watched Tim, a wreck, cradling Jason in his lap, and could feel his throat clench.

Regardless of right and wrong, he could not help but feel somewhat responsible for the situation. Although well out of his hands, he was sure that Tim would have noticed something amiss far sooner , taken action, perhaps even brought Jason to Leslie when the symptoms of whatever had started… avoided this whole mess… avoided this confrontation that was sure to not be pretty.

He approached the pair silently; watching the slight, ragged, rise and fall of Jason’s side as he gently placed a hand on Tim’s shoulder.

The Robin flinched as he turned his attention toward the man, a grief stricken look upon his face as Dick crouched down beside them, reaching into his gauntlet pouches.

He drew out a thermometer, removed it from its case, and slipped it beneath the unconscious boy’s tongue. Tim watched intently as the red slowly rose, while Dick simply sighed, and surveyed his surroundings.

The apartment was _not_ only structurally unsafe. It was unsanitary. No heat, no electricity, and he was doubtful that the plumbing even functioned correctly under such circumstances.

Jason himself was a mess, now that he got the chance to really look at him close up. He could see how Tim felt the need to intervene, even if he _had_ gone about it incorrectly breaking a dozen of the Bat’s rules in the process. He was undernourished, covered in bruises and scrapes, clothes old and worn. Forced to stand out in the cold most of the day, to sacrifice his pride and dignity and subject himself to such treatment on a regular basis, let alone what he could potentially be exposing himself to each and every time he put himself out there…

“…Dick?”

He turned his head back to meet the younger boy’s gaze. Tim was worrying his lip once again, a finger pointed at the glass stick between the teen’s lips. With a sigh he reached over, removing it from Jason’s mouth, and brought it up to his eyes.

The line lay at _103.6_ , and Dick hated to think how much higher the fever might have been if it wasn’t so damn cold in the dwelling…

He paused, pressing forward to listen to the boy’s lungs, and frowned at the wheeze and rattle.

“I- will he be... he really needs to be admitted D- _Nightwing_ …right?” Tim shifted beside him, lenses now down.

The two shared a long look before Dick ultimately nodded and sucked in a deep breath.

“Yeah… I anticipated that, since you actually got me running down here. Already called B, just before I stepped in.” He admitted with a heavy sigh. “I recommend telling him nothing but the truth at this point kiddo, because from here on out he’s the one in charge and you’ve got a lot of explaining to do in a short amount of time.” He frowned, shooting Tim a sympathetic look.

Almost as though he had expected it, and maybe he really had, Tim slumped and gave a weak nod as he continued carding a hand through Jason’s mussed hair.

“I admittedly didn’t think he was _this_ bad… or that he was living in such- well… conditions?” Dick murmured, pressing his fingers against Jason’s flesh in effort to monitor his pulse.

Tim drew in a shaky breath, jaw clenched, eyes stressed.

“Neither did I… I respected his privacy. Obviously I had assumptions given the circumstances, but…” the teen bit his lip, face twisting into a grimace, and Dick suspected that if he continued he would inevitably end up drawing blood... “I wish I had pried, followed him even…”

Dick winced and placed a comforting hand on Tim’s knee.

“I know Tim, I know. You can’t blame yourself though. You did so much. You tried. Did things even though you _knew_ that you shouldn’t, given the special circumstances.”

“And then I left him.” Tim spat, twisting his fist within one of the blankets.

Dick squeezed his knee, forcing Tim to meet his gaze.

“This is _not_ your fault Robin.” He insisted, believed, if his face said anything.

Tim snorted and shook his head.

“Isn’t it? Had I still been keeping a close eye on him I would have _known_ he was sick, been able to do something about it days ago. If I hadn’t shown up today, just let things go entirely, he could have- _would_ have… and even now he’s-“

“Stop. Just stop Robin.” Dick sighed, pressing up against Tim’s back. “This is NOT your fault. You couldn’t have-“

“Nightwing. Robin.” A sharp, deep voice barked, interrupting the man.

Both stiffened, heads snapping up towards the doorway.

Batman stepped into the room, cape rustling behind him as he approached his boys. A scowl was already in place as he stepped wordlessly into the light and crouched down beside them.

“How long has he been like this?”

Tim stared at the floor, fingers clenched around a bit of Jason’s shirt as he sucked in a sharp breath.

“I-I don’t know…” He murmured truthfully, squeezing his eyes shut. “He disappeared a few days ago.”

Eyes narrowed behind the white lenses of the cowl, and the pair before him swallowed nervously.

“Hnn…”

And with a sigh, the Bat returned to his feet flicking his cape backwards and bent over, hoisting Jason up into his arms without so much as a grunt.

“What are you-“ Tim startled and shot to his feet, Nightwing’s sudden grip on his arm the only thing holding him back as the Bat turned towards the entrance.

 “Go back to the cave. Change. Meet me at Gotham General. Immediately.”

“I-“

“Tim.” Dick gave him a reassuring look and shook his head at the teen. “Don’t…”

Tim reluctantly backed down as they followed the man out the door.

The walk through the cluttered halls back towards the makeshift entrance was spent in silence, Batman at the lead with Nightwing close behind and Robin tailing a distance back.

Dick helped balance Jason as the Bat slipped through the boarded window and settled himself on the creaking steel frame outside. Once through he took charge once more, gently hoisting the teen back into his arms, shifting him over his shoulder, before ultimately leaping from the platform altogether and landing mere feet from the Batmobile.

Dick slipped through the opening as well, and with one smooth motion, he flipped up over the railing to join the man below. Tim watched as Jason was slid into the rear of the car and secured before he too joined them on the ground. He stood by idly, mostly hidden behind Dick’s form as the man slid into the driver’s seat and sealed the cockpit.

The Batman did not address his boy’s further.

Instead he simply sped off, hands at the control panel as he tuned in to the cave’s frequency, scowl still firmly planted in place.

“Alfred.”

_“Yes Sir?”_

“Meet me at crevice off of Robinson and Montage with a civilian vehicle and a change of clothes. Emergency situation. Robin and Nightwing are headed back to the cave.”

“ _Will I be accompanying you in this time of emergency?_ ”

The man paused briefly, seemingly mulling it over.

“Yes, that would probably be wise. I’ll send the _car_ back on auto.”

“ _Very well Sir_.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

After watching the car speed off into the distance, Tim and Dick raced back to the location of Tim’s Redbird.

The brisk ride back to the cave was spent in silence, Dick in the driver’s seat for a change, Tim too distraught to be behind the wheel as he sat curled in upon himself.

Returning to the cave with no Alfred to welcome them upon arrival only made things all the more real.

The two showered as quickly as possible and changed into proper civilian attire before heading off to the garage. The Batmobile had arrived un-manned sometime between their arrival and them tidying up, and they shared a grim look as the flung themselves into one of Bruce’s many cars.

Tim sat curled in the seat next to Dick, knees pulled up to his chest, and face buried within them the entirety of the nerve wracking ride to the hospital.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Alfred brought the car to a stop directly in front of the emergency doors, and Bruce was out his door in the blink of an eye, pulling Jason’s limp form from the back seat with equal speed, and rushing him through the double doors.

The emergency staff was on him at once, lifting Jason from his arms and onto a stretcher as Bruce followed close behind, filling out forms with what little information he could.

They began working on the teen almost immediately, checking his vitals over as Bruce stood by idly.

It was several minutes of chaos before he was approached properly, a young nurse with a concerned look upon her face.

“I hate to bother you Mr. Wayne, but I am afraid that you have left a good portion of the paperwork blank?” She stated nervously, holding the papers out before her.

And Bruce sighed, shaking his head.

“Unfortunately, that _is_ a problem. You see, I haven’t really got the answers that you are seeking. I know very little about this boy. He is an acquaintance of Tim, an… unofficial son of mine, perhaps you’ve seen him with me on television?” He prompted, tilting is head.

“I’m afraid not, Sir…”She admitted awkwardly, with a blush.

“No matter… anyway, he and my son Richard are on their way as we speak. I’m sure that they will be able to shed some more light on the present situation, and fill in some, if not all of those blanks.”

“But Mr. Wayne there is a matter of-“

“I will pay the bill; I assure you that it will not be an issue. So please, just concentrate on getting the boy in stable condition, and when he is ready to be moved, please place him in a private room. I wouldn’t want him waking up with strangers, nor anyone to walk in and pester him simply because it was I who brought him here.”

“Very well. In light of your… notability, that should not be an issue. I do not foresee you skipping out on the bill, nor causing problems for this hospital, or yourself, so rest easy Mr. Wayne. We will do what need be done.”

At this the man managed a weary smile.

“That’s all I ask.”

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

It had not taken long for Jason to be settled within his own room, hooked up to various drips and monitors, the doctor fussing over him as Alfred and Bruce sat outside the room, waiting for the boys to arrive.

When Dick and Tim did finally come walking up the hall, Bruce breathed a sigh of relief and summoned the nurse from earlier. Something Tim had not quite yet been prepared for as he was bombarded with questions, questions he was not too keen on answering in front of Bruce _before_ having had a chance to speak with him privately.

He could feel the eyes boring into the back of his head as he filled in the gaps of the paperwork, and explained Jason’s situation as vaguely as he could while still letting what was necessary be known.

He avoided both Dick and Bruce’s gaze as the nurse finished with him and made the move to return to the doctor. He swallowed the lump in his throat shakily as Bruce pulled the woman aside as she passed, and despite his nerves and reluctance, he followed the brief conversation by merely reading their lips.

Dick on the other hand was close enough to hear for himself, and could not help but feel worse about the whole situation as the man asked her to be sure to check for any substance abuse and STDs, on top of the already obvious ailments.

Tim only looked mortified, hanging his head in shame, his fists clenched at his sides.

Dick watched with a lump in his throat as Bruce stepped away from the departing nurse and approached Tim, an unreadable look planted across his face.

Tim barely managed to look up in time to see the man before him, and the look upon the boy’s face tugged at Dick’s heartstrings.

“Tim… we must talk. Please step into the restroom with me where we may talk privately...”

It took everything in Dick’s power to not follow after them as Tim trailed behind the man and reluctantly followed him into the john.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Bruce was silent as they stepped into the stall filled room and the door swung shut behind them.

Tim stood by idly as Bruce scanned the compartments, checking for any signs of life, and he wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or ill when they had to play at mindless actions until the lone man using a stall vacated the premises.

Bruce locked the door behind the man shortly after his leave, and Tim did all he could to prepare himself as he leaned back against the sinks, waiting for the man to round himself.

It happened as abruptly as he had expected.

“Tim, what were you thinking?”

The sharp words echoed through the room and Tim was unable to suppress the flinch that resulted from the barking voice.

“I-…”

“You _weren’t_ thinking, that’s what.” Bruce sighed, rubbing at the vein protruding at his temple. “How do you know this boy?”

Tim swallowed roughly and gripped at the sink beneath his fingers as he reluctantly met the man’s gaze.

“I- I just… do?”

“ _Tim_.”

“It’s not really something I can explain! It just sort of…happened.” He murmured, head hanging towards the floor once more.

“How much interaction have you two had?”

“Just…” Tim drew in a deep breath, released shakily. “Mostly, I’ve just been leaving him food. Sometimes clothes. Sometimes I stuck around and ate with him. I… I gave him a jacket so he wouldn’t freeze. Heated…”

“Heated? As in, the lining Lucius developed for us six months ago?”

He winced, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Yessir.”

“And you just _gave_ away that technology. Technology only recently released, technology currently only traceable to Wayne Enterprises at this time.”

“I… _yes_.” And Tim had honestly not thought about that at the time…

“Furthermore, given the similarities with the boy’s situation, am I correct in my assumption that this _Jason_ is the ‘working girl’ that presented you with the recent Degan case?”

All he could manage was a quick, short nod.

“Tim… how involved in this case _was_ he?”

“He- he talked to some of the other girls…”

“Is that all?”

“Yes…. _No_. I’m sorry, I just…”

“Tim…”

“He was there… the night Dick brought Degan in. He went in on his own and when I went to pull him out _everything_ was there. _He_ was there, and then everything just kind blew up in our faces. Literally.”

“You involved a civilian in a case.” Bruce stated bluntly.

“Yessir…”

“You could have gotten one of you, if not both of you, seriously injured or god forbid killed!”

“Bruce, I’m-“

“Sorry cannot erase what has already been done Tim. How much does this boy know exactly? What have you told him?”

Tim blanched.

“I-I haven’t told him anything, honest! I’ve never been anything but Robin to him. We don’t even talk about anything ‘us’ related… just… stuff.”

“You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t take your word for that Tim. You willingly put us all in very grave danger, and lied about it. Repeatedly. For god only knows how long.”

Tim could only nod and hunch in on himself.

“Let’s go.”

With a scowl, Bruce crossed the expanse of restroom and unlatched the lock, wrenching the door open in one smooth movement. He stepped through the doorway and held the swinging door ajar for Tim to follow behind.

The teen did so hesitantly refusing to meet Dick’s gaze as they reapproached the man.

Bruce stood before Dick, a stern expression planted firmly on his face as he crossed his arms.

“You and Tim are taking my place tonight. Head out.”

“But, but we haven’t even heard back-“ Tim protested at once, only for Bruce to raise a hand to silence him.

“Tim is _not_ to leave your sight. I will be here keeping an eye on things as I am now currently responsible for the boy and cannot possibly go out myself.”

Tim bit his lip clenching at his shirt hem.

“Sure thing Bruce… leave the city to us nothing we can’t handle for one night.” Dick managed a weak smile as he clasped a hand around Tim’s shoulder in what was likely intended to be a comforting manner. “Come on Tim. Sooner we go, the sooner it’ll seem like we’re back, ‘kay?”

“…sure.” The teen murmured, reluctantly following Dick, looking back warily as he went.

With a sigh, Bruce returned to sit with Alfred, slumped back against the far from comfortable hall chair.

“This too shall pass Master Bruce. Whatever may come from this we will undoubtedly make it through.”

As the doctors passed by, entering the room to retrieve Jason to cart him off for chest x-rays, Bruce was not so sure…

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

It was well over an hour before anything changed, the time spent in silence, Bruce on edge, brow creased with worry, and Alfred at his side calm as ever.

The doctors returned Jason to his room half way through the wait, but left immediately after the drop-off, only the nurse lingering behind to set the boy back up.

Bruce waited patiently for her retreat, not wanting to disturb her work, and stopped her once the door was shut behind her.

“Miss, have you received the results of the x-rays?”

The woman paused and turned her head back towards him.

“I am not permitted to release the boy’s information at this time Mr. Wayne. I’m sure you understand-“

“He does not have next of kin for you to report to. I am the best that you are going to get in this situation. So please Miss, let me know what we are dealing with here.” Bruce interrupted, half pleading, half demanding.

The nurse sighed, squeezing the bridge of her nose as she dealt with an internal argument, before slumping her shoulders in silent defeat.

“Mr. Todd has pneumonia. Left untreated, and living in less than habitable conditions, it has advanced and the infection spread from the left lung to the right as well. What started off as a common cold rapidly morphed into something far more extreme. Being underweight was no help either. We initially x-rayed to see how badly the infection had advanced, but after the initial views we moved him to a CT scan when the film revealed internal injuries that we had not been made aware of.”

“Injuries?” He asked. “Recent?”

“Some more so than others Mr. Wayne. Most have a good deal of remodeling, others are only weeks old, with the most recent being a minor distal radius fracture. Several ribs fractures, none all too recent. Fingers broken in multiple places at different periods of time. Pelvic fracture few years old. Clavicle, left side, 2 different locations, different times. Mandible. Nose looks to have been broken some point along the line as well, perhaps more than once. Charts catalogue the full extent of his prior injuries, but I’m sure you get the idea Mr. Wayne. These findings suggest a long history of abuse.”

“And the other tests?” Bruce prompted.

“They are still processing sir. His fever is down, and he has been started on antibiotics. We will be draining some fluid from his lungs shortly. He’ll be started on an I.V. afterwards to keep him hydrated. At this point sir, all you can do is wait for him to come out of it I’m afraid. He will need to spend some time here to recover while being monitored.”

“Thank you Ms.”

“You are welcome Mr. Wayne…” And with that she made her way down the hall.

Alfred sighed, and stood at his side, a had clasped on is shoulder.

“What _do_ you plan to do Master Bruce?”

The man sucked in a sharp breath, hand upon the door knob as he turned towards him.

“At this point Alfred, I don’t know… I really don’t know.”

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Patrol was a nightmare.

Focus was impossible, and Tim’s nerves had him fumbling constantly, and his stomach flipping at each sharp movement.

Dick could not bring himself to scold the boy.

“Don’t worry Robin, he’s in good hands now. B might be pissy, but the guy’s in good hands with him there.”

Tim sighed, leaning back against the cool brick of the building.

“I know…but that doesn’t make me feel any better, any less worried, less stressed… and B-”

Dick winced, and managed a week smile for the young Robin.

“I know… man do I know…but, he’ll forgive you. He always did me.”

“And that last time?” Tim snorted, purposely avoiding Nightwing’s lensed gaze.

“That- well, that was _different_ …”

“So is this…”

And Dick could find no argument for that.

The rest of patrol was spent in silence…

When the boys did eventually return back to the cave, Alfred was there to meet them, confirming their suspicions that they would not be returning to the hospital until long after the sun had risen.

“Master Bruce sent me home to tend to you boys. He is staying overnight to keep an eye on things. They are in good hands, the hospital is secure, and Master Bruce will do everything in his power to keep the boy stable.”

“But-!” Tim’s protests fell on deaf ears as Alfred stared him down.

“No ‘buts’ Master Tim. I am under strict orders to keep you in until tomorrow. Now, wash up, and eat something before bed. You as well Master Dick.”

Tim was solemn as he stripped free of his suit and entered the showers. Dick could not comfort him when they finally made their way upstairs.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Bruce sat stationary in the chair across from the hospital bed, scowling at the paperwork in hand as he read through the charts and reports.

They were…depressing, to say the least. They told a long, painful, story of neglect and abuse. He had known it would be bad, but he hadn’t expected it to be well beyond his expectations… not at all.

It was not long after Bruce had finally set the papers down that a groan sounded from across from him, and he looked up to see Jason, face screwed up in discomfort, before the bedridden teen erupted into a fit of hacking.

He sat frozen, watching, ready to jump in if needed as the boy wheezed and his eyes fluttered open.

He was dazed for a brief moment, eyes glassy as they scanned the pristine white ceiling, all until he realized there was a mask upon his face and everything changed.

The teen stiffened, realization developing in his eyes, and he shifted taking in his surroundings. It was a downward spiral from there… Jason wrenched his arm up, clawing the mask from his face, and his gaze settled on his wrist, the tube and tape, and all at once he was flailing.

Bruce was launching himself at the boy in an instant, preventing him from ripping the I.V. from his arm, something which only seemed to make him more distressed, his heart rate skyrocketing mere seconds before the screams began.

“Get the hell off me! G-get away, let go!” The teen screeched as Bruce held his arms in an iron grip and attempted to get him to calm, with no avail.

Unsurprisingly, the nurse was not far behind, and she came skidding in through the door with a panic stricken face and stormed towards them. Once Jason’s eyes landed on her he stilled briefly, but never did de-tense nor stop in his efforts to pull away.

“What in God’s name is going on in here!?” She demanded, out of breath, with her hands firmly planted upon her hips.

“Jason woke up disorientated and tried to rip his drip out. He’s not familiar with me, just the boys, so he over reacted to my intrusion. I apologize for the misunderstanding, but in his state I thought it unwise to remover the I.V. in such a manner.” He murmured apologetically, and slowly released his grip, backing away cautiously.

Jason stopped his thrashing, but stayed stiff and on edge as the nurse approached him in his leave and began to thoroughly check him over. Bruce returned to his seat with a weary sigh, noting that the teen never once pulled his eyes off his form, not even as the nurse checked his pupils.

It was a hard feat to stay seated when another coughing fit arose, wracking the boy’s body so hard that he swerved, and collapsed against the sturdy woman wheezing whilst she attempted to slip him back into bed. The fight left him quickly, and the wheezing only got worse as he slumped back against the pillows in defeat.

Bruce watched as she sat on the edge of the bed beside him, a hand clasped atop his, and explained what had occurred, lacking important details they had kept from the staff for obvious reasons.

“Mr. Todd… _Jason_? You are in Gotham General Hospital. You are very ill, pneumonia, among other things, and you were brought in by Mr. Wayne after his boys found you unconscious and unresponsive…”

Bruce was unsure that the teen believed much that was said after that, as Jason eyed him silently, never breaking his gaze from there on out until the nurse finally left the two in peace again to run her rounds.

It did not take long for the interrogation to begin afterwards.

“Who the fuck are you?” Jason spat, eyes wary as he inhaled deeply, before prying the mask away again in agitation.

The man stared at him curiously, before sighing, and rubbing at a temple.

“Tim found you. Called my son who in turn called me. The lot of us took time out of our _schedule_ to get you to a hospital where you could be treated. Had he not found you, you likely would not have made it much longer. Such hostility and language is not appreciated, Jason.”

The teen only glared at him, lip curling upward as he sneered.

“Hate to break it to you, but I don’t know any _Tim_ , so try again old man, and this time make it believable or else I’ll buzz that nurse back and have her remove your creeper ass!” He snarled.

Bruce eyed him carefully, judging his sincerity, before ultimately giving a small sigh of relief.

“Then at the very least he truly was _discreet_ …” he murmured mostly to himself, watching Jason’s eyes narrow further.

Bruce turned his gaze towards the door, weighing the pros and cons of locking it, before ultimately deciding that Jason would like judge that as a threatening action and cause a scene.

“I’m afraid that I’ve made some… _assumptions_ about the situation.” He sighed, leaning back within his chair.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” The teen huffed, gripping the sheets, making a point of having his hand mere inches from the buzzer he had threatened to use if need be.

Bruce gave another heavy, frustrated sigh, and seeing no other way around things given the situation at hand…

“Tim- _Robin_ , is responsible for you being here tonight Jason. Despite what involving me revealed about his recent lies, he is the reason you are here, alive, and being treated instead of suffering out a less than pleasant end in some cold condemned building. You should thank him when you get the chance.”

Bruce had not expected more than he received, and he waited patiently as Jason seemed only capable of gaping at him for a long drawn out moment, realization dawning on his face.

“Wait… _Robin_? But then- but that makes….” The teen stumbled on his words, face returning to the pale pallor it had been when he had first been admitted. “But… you’re _Wayne_! Bruce fucking Wayne!” he squawked, inhaling awkwardly as his lungs protested.

“That I am. And I don’t think I even need to bother warning you of the consequences to be had if word of this gets around lad. I am not threatening, just simply stating a fact.”

“This- this is… _shit_ …”

Bruce couldn’t be sure if Jason was in awe, terrified, or just plain confused, perhaps all of the above, but he could worry about that at a later time.

“Language Jason…”

The boy only glared across at him, eyes wary, and body stiff as silence washed over them and Bruce merely watched.

After several long minutes, spent entirely in silence, Jason hesitantly shifted, curling beneath the blankets with the occasional cough, and slipped the oxygen mask back over his face.

Bruce stood, eyes never leaving the teen’s form, and tentatively cleared his throat.

Jason barely stirred, but he knew he had his attention.

“I have to return home…things to do, people to see. I’m sure you understand. I will send the boys to keep an eye on you for now. You might find their company more… welcoming?”

Jason only snorted as the man turned on his heel and walked out the door.

It was only after Bruce had been gone several minutes that he finally closed his eyes, and willed himself to sleep despite the pressure in his lungs and the ache within his muscles.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Bruce had called Alfred not so very long ago, something Tim had desperately been waiting on since his forced departure, despite the dread that welled up in his chest at the thought of being in the man’s presence again at the moment.

Bruce had asked Alfred to pick him up and to bring Dick and him with to stay with the teen whilst he showered and managed a bit of rest before patrol.

He had grimaced when Alfred had told him that Bruce would retrieve him later to accompany him on his rounds.

When they arrived out front of the hospital, Bruce met them at the car, already standing outside the double doors as Alfred pulled the vehicle into the drop off zone. The man watched silently as Dick exited the car and slowly but surely, Tim followed behind, head hanging limply from his shoulders as he avoided his gaze.

“He’s awake, as of half an hour ago…” Bruce sighed, folding his arms across his chest. “He’s in a foul mood and has quite the attitude despite his condition. You would think he would be the slightest bit grateful given that he’s alive and well right now because of my intervention...”

Tim flinched, and folded in on himself tighter as he brushed past Dick, and bolted towards the hospital doors.

Bruce watched his retreating form, lips pressed into a thin line as he turned towards Dick, a ragged sigh breaking free as he met the younger man’s gaze.

“You knew about all of this?” He questioned.

The raven haired man winced, but nodded all the same, moving to stand beside him.

“Only barely. Hadn’t the slightest clue until the other night with Degan. Gave Tim a talking to, and told him to end things, break the friendship off.” He murmured, shaking his head. “Have to give him credit Bruce… He followed my advice even though it upset him. Seemed to upset the other guy more. Almost broke my heart watching it.”

“Dick…”

“Yeah… sorry, I know it’s time to be serious.” He laughed nervously, running a hand through his hair.

“You say he broke it off… and yet, here we are. Care to explain?”

“Tim must have gotten worried? Perhaps he hadn’t seen him whilst passing by for a few days? You can’t really blame him here Bruce… A life was at stake. Even if he should have left things alone afterwards, you know full well that you would have kept things under surveillance for a while. I could name dozens of examples, and you know it.” Dick huffed giving the elder man an accusatory look.

“It doesn’t change the fact that Tim started this- this _partnership_ in the first place. You do _not_ bring in a civilian on a case. It was an unnecessary risk that could have ended with the two of them losing their lives. It was careless… sloppy.”

Dick sighed.

“Be that as it may Bruce… the kid did good. Degan is behind bars, no one was hurt, and in the end he’s saved this kid’s life. Granted, he did some things the wrong way, and got overly attached, but he’s young. Cut him some slack. I was more of a nightmare than Tim will ever be.” He chuckled.

Bruce could only manage to glare as walked off, more than ready to get the slightest bit of sleep before patrol.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Tim felt ill by the time he came to a halt down the hall from where Jason had been roomed, and he was not at all confident that his churning stomach was going to cooperate with him and hold steady, especially once he approached the correct room number.

His heart hammered in his chest uncomfortably, and he could not help but spare a shaky laugh at his own expense.

After all, he was Robin- _Robin_ , who confronted criminals each and every night, mobsters and monsters alike, but he could not seem to handle a simple _normal_ everyday confrontation. That had to be saying something about him…

He hesitantly clasped the door handle with a trembling hand and froze, taking a moment to compose what little of himself he could, drawing in a deep breath that was not nearly as calming as it should have been.

He wrenched the door open in one swift movement, briskly shutting it behind him with a soft click, positive that he must look of fright as he stared across the room.

They locked eyes immediately.

Tim regretted it.

Jason became a surplus of emotions in rapid fire. He watched the older teen's face morph and contort with little effort to hide what was on his mind. Anger, confusion, hurt, even the very same fear that fluttered through his own chest.

He blanched, and quite honestly thought of bolting from the room altogether right then and there, only… his knees shook, and legs refused to move, feeling like the heaviest of weights were pinning them down. It made him all the more pleased that Bruce was not present for this, as then he would surely know just how compromised he had been, and he was already in enough trouble as things currently stood.

Jason twitched, the corner of his mouth itching to break into a snarl, his hands fisted in the painfully white sheets as he clenched his jaw.

He was in fact livid, confused, in _way_ too deep, and all sorts of hurt. He had fully intended to be angry with the teen, shun him- send him off like _he_ had done to him after how _hard_ he had really tried. He wanted to _scream_ , throw something, make Robin feel the hurt of rejection being slammed in his face.

But fucking hell… of course not. No. Because Robin- _Tim_ looked terrified. Scared of him, scared of the Bat… he looked _small_. He looked normal. And no matter how riled up he had been, no matter how pissed off and upset he was, the look on the teen's face made him stop, catch himself, and finally- end up conflicted about just what he _really_ wanted to do, what he really wanted to say.

Ultimately, he was not given a choice in the matter, no time to think at all, as Tim suddenly found the will to move again well before Jason's thoughts caught up with him.

Before he could protest, find the words to say, Tim was across the room and in an instant kneeling on the mattress with him, half in his lap with arm wrapped tightly about his shoulders in a frantic clinging hug.

Jason stiffened, spooked by the action considering the severe lack of initiated contact in their previous encounters, and merely sat frozen in place as Tim clung and seemingly vibrated from his nerve endings.

It really was crazy. All of it. But Jason wasn't even going to begin to let it all sink in, not yet.

He had barely flexed the muscle in his arm- an effort made with intent to ultimately push him away, before Tim yet again caught him off guard and moved first. Only this time the teen completely severed his thought process.

It was hesitant and brief, but there was a press of lips against his own, and then a face muffled in the crook of his neck. Jason sat there stunned, eyes admittedly wide as Tim pressed himself closer, murmuring frantic apologies over and over again in his ear.

He wanted to stay angry, hate him, rant and rave about abandonment he had for once in his life _not_ expected, but the words stuck in his throat as Tim only clutched him tighter and tighter, continuously chanting his apologies about everything and anything- things he even had no hand in whatsoever. Jason was floored, at a total loss, arms locked at his sides with the muscles taut, and completely unsure of how to progress with such new developments.

Oh he was angry, nothing was going to change the things that had happened, how things had gone down, but it was Robin- _Tim_. Tim, who had already risked so much for him, who had done quite a bit to ensure his survival despite not having to give a damn at all, even disobeyed _Batman…_ saved him, blew one hell of a fucking secret, and was now _begging_ in his lap for his forgiveness.

It was all quite honestly mind blowing. It wasn't fair.

But it was his chest that protested. He moved to push away in effort to spare the teen from his hacking, and only then realized just how weak he really was when all he succeeded in doing was pushing himself back as he wheezed and coughed. The severity of the situation only made Tim frantic, and Jason's attempts to swat his helping hands away were met in failure and a pained guilty stare as Tim worried his bottom lip.

When it was over, and he began to breathe once more, Tim was brushing his bangs from his face with a cool hand, and rubbing his back gently. He could not bring himself to protest the action as he slumped against him exhausted, positive that it shouldn't feel like he had dropped a car on his chest.

It was several minutes before he could hold himself up properly on his own and breathe without choking every few inhales. By then Tim had resumed his one sided conversation, and he was quite honestly ready to just tip over sideways and go back to sleep.

But like everything else that had happened since he had woken up, that wasn't going to go his way either. The door made a barely audible click, and at once Tim flinched, and stiffened thereafter, moments before Dick stepped into the room just as quickly as the other had previously.

The anger immediately resurfaced, and judging by how the teen's breathing changed, Tim noticed the shift.

This was _Nightwing_ , Dick Grayson, ward turned son of Bruce Wayne- **Batman**. The _Dick_ that had been the reason Tim had severed ties and left him alone in the first place.

He promptly resigned to the fact that he and the Bat were the adults who ran the show, that had it _really_ been up to Tim, things would have carried on like they had been… if not even progressed considering the sudden brief show of affection he had received. It was easier to blame the man before him now that Dick had presented himself. He could be rightfully angry at _him_ without feeling like a piece of shit.

Batman now knew what had been going on.

_He_ now knew their secrets.

And since he knew for a damn fact that the Bat did not kill, there was no way Wayne was going to make him disappear, and he was _not_ going to give Dick the satisfaction of having won, not when he was now forcibly involved.

He let the relief wash over him briefly as he finalized the decision.

With a shaky sigh, Jason let his muscles slacken and he slumped forward once more, this time resting his chin on Tim's shoulder, and slinking an arm around the teen's waist.

It was a win-win situation. The tension that had surfaced in Tim with the man's entrance dissipated with a relieved sigh as he clutched at his gown… and Dick? He looked alarmed, _concerned_ as Jason tightened his hold possessively, and glared at him over the boy's shoulder. To make things all the more satisfying, the sudden relief caused by his caving in, also started Tim's apologies back up, and Jason shot Dick a smug look as result.

If he hadn't been so damn tired, sore, yet content at the same time, he might have cackled at how Dick's face twisted into a narrow eyed frown, if of course he could have managed it without choking on air. At the very least it was a victory for him, even if just a small one.

He could be upset later when he had the energy and will to do so. Things needed to be said, to _everyone_ involved. He wasn't done being upset, not at all.

Dick cleared his throat awkwardly, crossing his arms over his chest with a forced smile planted on his face, and Tim hesitantly turned his head toward the man with flushed cheeks.

"How are things going? Feeling better? He still cranky?" He asked, raising a brow, watching as Tim stiffened with the sudden tension.

"I'm just _peachy_." Jason huffed, regretting it instantly as he coughed slightly. "I just _love_ being poked and prodded at by strangers, and waking up next to big strange men with a fetish for bats." He bit back, relishing in the wince Dick had been unable to hide, and the awkward twist his face took.

Tim had flinched against his will and had taken to fidgeting with his shirt hem,

"Would have preferred to have _Tim_ be there when I'd woken up instead of _Bruce_ , but given how he interrogated me after I stopped freaking the fuck out for a moment, I figured that he was in the dog house, being forced to run the boss' errands while you held his hand." He muttered, and Tim drooped and shifted, moving to slide away, only for Jason to fist the back of the teen's shirt and hold him firmly in place. "Sorry to fuck things up between you and B. It was never my intention. Seriously hope he's not moving to disown you just 'cuz of me…" He frowned as he addressed him, wheezing towards the end, and that seemed to snap Tim out of it.

He shook his head briskly and turned back to him.

"No, that's not- he's _upset_ , but not to that degree. I've had privileges revoked, and he will probably be testing me for quite some time, lecturing me and quizzing me on scenarios but…"

"You're alive, and that's what really matters." Dick sighed. "I've been with Bruce long enough to know this is something he'll get over with time. Tim's pretty much a saint compared to how I was. I think more than anything he's just shocked that Tim actually went against protocol, that it went under his radar for so long, and only came to light with emergency circumstances. He's probably just as _impressed_ as he is upset. Especially when he ended up the one having to blow cover since Tim went about things with special care to avoid doing so. You haven't caused any lasting damage, at least, not yet." He admitted reluctantly.

Tim managed a weak smile at that, and slowly scooted out of Jason's grasp, simply to sit beside rather than atop him.

Jason only snorted in disbelief and let himself finally fall back against the bed, seriously considering using the mask again as he met Dick's gaze.

"And yet, you had him basically tell me to fuck off, when he actually enjoyed my company. Glad to see that you change your tune when it suits the situation." He sniffed. "Sorry, but don't need any of your fake ass concern, especially when none of us would probably be dealing with this shit if you hadn't guilted him into ditching me. Guess I should count myself lucky that he doesn't always listen to you."

And that was when the dam broke…

Tim pulled his knees up against his chest as Dick stomped over to the bed, hands fisted at his sides, and jaw clenched.

"Look, you don't have to _like_ me kid, but that's _enough_!" He snapped. "I'm _sorry_ I messed up whatever you two had going on, but you have to realize that it was for everyone's safety, even if it doesn't seem like it now. You were a major threat to security, in fact, you _still_ are. Not only did you pose a risk by getting close, possibly close enough to eventually learn Tim, and subsequently both Bruce and I's identities as result, but you were also putting a giant target on _your_ back. People that get close to us, even with the masks on, get _hurt_. Plain and simple. And you weren't exactly laying low, with getting involved in an investigation, almost getting yourself blown up. You might think it was a shit move telling him to let you go, but I was trying to do what was best for everyone. I'm sorry you ended up getting sick, and while you might think it's partly my fault, since Tim would have been able to tell you there was something really wrong with you well before you were incapable of functioning, you're the one who sets himself up for failure. You put _yourself_ in that position-"

"Dick!" Tim yelped in protest.

"No, _let_ him. Least he speaks his mind. Lets me know _exactly_ what he thinks of me." Jason growled, eyes narrowed at the man.

Dick groaned and squeezed the bridge of his nose.

"That's not what I-"

"Save it."

"But-"

"I do hope that I am not _interrupting_ something…" A soft voice sounded from behind Dick, and both he and Tim froze to look over his shoulder as Alfred stepped into the room. "I did attempt to knock, but it seems that you boys were… _distracted_ , to say the least."

Jason looked alarmed with his entry, but Tim breathed a sigh of relief, and gave the man a thankful look.

Alfred always had been the peacekeeper…

"No, we were just… talking." Dick insisted, a nervous grin spreading across his face as Alfred rose a brow.

"Master Dick, perhaps you should go fetch some refreshments for Master Tim and yourself? It is sure to be a long night. I have been given strict orders to keep all _three_ of you put for the night, and to make sure that you do in fact get _some_ sleep."

Dick cast a sideways glance at the pair on the bed before sighing and giving a brief nod as he took the hint and slid past the man.

They were all silent for a few brief seconds, until of course Jason broke the ice.

"What's with Jeeves?"

And Tim choked on air.

" _I beg your pardon?_ "

"Jason-"

"Hey, he was all nice and polite, but that sure came off as a 'get the hell out'. Don't typically see the 'help' bossing around the employers, old _or_ young."

Tim managed a small laugh.

"Alfred's special. He keeps even Bruce in line."

"Well, _someone_ must remind him that he is merely human. Otherwise he would surely forget to sleep, let alone remember that one has to _eat_ to continue to function. Coffee is not sufficient nutrition after all." He chuckled lightly, much to Tim's amusement.

Jason stared blankly at the two for a long moment, before his weary face spread into a wide grin.

"I think I like _him_."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Much of the rest of the day had been spent in silence after Alfred's arrival. Dick had felt out of place, awkward under the watchful eye of Alfred after falling for Jason's baiting. Jason himself had drifted in and out of sleep, seemingly agitated all the while that so many people were in the room with him while he did so, considering that it wasn't _just_ coughing that interrupted his slumber. Tim had only been with him once while he slept previously, only for a few hours, and he had admittedly been out cold until he wasn't, so he hadn't noticed a thing. But… Jason had _nightmares_. Not just your average run of the mill bad dreams. No, they were full blown night _terrors_ that were doing incredible things to Jason's heart rate, to the point that Tim had thought something had gone horribly wrong and he was about to seize the first time it had happened.

Tim had hoped that he would get some time alone with a conscious Jason to figure out where they stood but sadly there was not a moment that went by where no less than three people were in the room.

It was late into the night before he had managed to drift off into a light sleep tucked within a hardly comfortable armchair at the bedside.

The next morning offered little change besides Bruce's inevitable arrival at ten.

If Jason had been on edge before, he was a hundred times tenser after his arrival, and Tim was sure that Bruce most definitely knew that the teen was boring holes into him with his gaze.

Still, things were quiet, and as calm as they could be given the situation.

Jason was still running a fever, chest rattling, and still coughing up his lungs. But he was stable and recovering even if slowly.

It was not until midafternoon that things changed and chaos erupted without fail.

Bruce was reading the paper, Dick was dozing, and Alfred had left to get them something palatable to eat when the doctor finally made his appearance. Dick awoke with the click of the door and Bruce rose to his feet to greet the man with a smile. Tim merely held his breath without realizing it as Jason sat up straight.

"Hello Mr. Wayne, I am Doctor Vickers, how are we today?"

"We are all a bit tired but no worse for wear, sir. Jason however is as to be expected. Feverish, sore, difficulty breathing…" He sighed as he shook the man's hand before returning to his previous position.

"Yes, I am afraid that he will have such symptoms until his system has more time to recuperate. However, I am happy to report that Mr. Todd's tests have come back with promising results."

"Is that so? That's fantastic."

"Indeed. His system is free of any substance abuse and medications out of the ordinary." The man smiled, tapping his clip board on the edge of the bed. "Tests have come back negative on any diseases, although I highly recommend a recheck in six months as a precaution since there is an incubation period on some that could produce negative results initially depending on the timing…"

Jason looked more pissed than mortified when Tim chanced a glance at him. Bruce on the other hand seemed relieved as he nodded thoughtfully.

"That is great news."

"Yes, after everything the young man has been through that is a weight off of everyone's shoulders, Mr. Wayne. However, Jason will need lengthy bed rest as result of his current ailment, and will need to stick to the medication he is given until he is cleared to stop. I recommend that he stick to the indoors as much as possible the rest of winter to avoid relapsing, and that he only leave highly bundled up, preferably only chancing it for vehicles rather than traveling on foot."

"I see."

Jason snorted, and gave a soft cough.

"I had the nurse print up a pamphlet for you Mr. Todd. Detailed dietary recommendations that I cannot stress enough due to your body condition. You need to up your calcium intake and eat more protein, among other things. Tone it down on the take out and fried foods."

"Yeah, 'cuz I've had such a wide _selection_ of options. Right."

"No need for snark son." The man frowned

"I'm no one's _son_ Doc."

Tim winced and turned his attention toward him promptly.

"Jason-"

"Just sayin' Tim…"

The man cleared his throat awkwardly before continuing.

"I also must insist that you stay far away from violent situations in the future. Mr. Drake explained your most _recent_ sets of injuries… street violence in Park- I mean _Crime Alley_ , where you previously resided. It would be in your best interests to _not_ return there. Furthermore, in light of your… _activities_ , and being underage, I suggest that you sit down with the police and file reports on the individuals that have… _solicited_ you. Not only do we take child abuse seriously, and these women- _men_ are predators, but your scans clearly show that-"

"It's none of your damn business asshole!" Jason reared up off of the mattress with a sudden snarl, ripping the sensor off his hand, and quite nearly ripping his I.V. out had Tim not grabbed him by the shoulder just in time. "I ain't no _rat_! What the hell do you know about getting by? I've had to _fight_ to stay alive out there. You think the cops give a damn about what's really going on in the streets? Do you really? You think none of Gotham's _Finest_ are out there scoring? Picking up the girls? The _boys_? Think your staff are all saints? I can _guarantee_ that if you sat me down with a photo lineup I could point out every single person in this building that's _selling_ their prescription pads, dancing in front of sleaze balls to pay off med school, driving down East Fare for some late night company, need I go on? Because _that_ is the reality of this city! You-" He squawked, breaking off into a fit of hacking that had even Bruce coming over to help steady him as Tim frantically handed him the oxygen mask at the bedside.

"Jason, you need to calm down. Being _who I am_ I know very well just how twisted this city can be at the heart of it. We are not trying to pass judgment on you, we are simply trying to help, and regardless of what you might think of the police, and the good doctor, he does in fact know what he is talking about regarding your present health. Things can only get better from here on out." Bruce barked, forcing the teen to still.

"Precisely." Vickers chimed in with agreement. "You are in good hands now. You are still a minor, and as such, will be provided for. You should not have had to go through what you already have, child services should have stepped in the moment that your mother passed, if not even beforehand-"

"Yeah, I'm sure they _would_ have, had I stuck around." He snapped, muffled somewhat by the mask. "I intentionally set out to avoid child services. I booked it the moment I got a grip on myself. I… I called it in… grabbed what I could carry on my back, and left. Never looked back. I wasn't going to some shithole full of strangers that couldn't give a rat's ass about me, where I'd sit and rot until the system released me, or I'd end up passed around until some scum bag ended up with me, since the foster system in Gotham rarely does _any_ kid justice. I've seen plenty of the runaways, the ones who couldn't take where they ended up, and would rather live on the streets on their own terms going through hell rather than live a sugar coated nightmare at someone else's mercy." He muttered, shaking his head with his hand to his face. "I stood a much better chance by myself on my own terms. Even when Mom was sick."

Vickers sighed and shook his head sadly.

"Your mother was not sick, she overdosed Mr. To-"

"She _was_ sick dammit!" He roared. "Sick in the head, sick in the body… and fuck, you would be too if you had my piece of shit father, and couldn't afford to feed yourself let alone a kid, _and_ pay the bills. She did it as long as she could. She made an effort! More so than most of the people living in that shit hole. She could only make so much money on her own in conventional ways, and when she was forced to seek alternatives when her body pretty much felt broken with all the strain, she fell victim to what she was pushing, and then couldn't even do that anymore since she'd just put it in herself. I made sure we ate, even if it wasn't much, and it wasn't great. I tried my damndest to make sure we stayed warm in the winter, and didn't die of heat stroke in the summer. I did a lot of crazy shit for cash, nothin' to be proud of, but never hurt no one but myself. We managed. _**I**_ managed. I was well versed in how the city worked long before I was on my own. I survived, and did so for years, without _any_ help!"

Tim felt ill. Jason was only getting increasingly upset, having more and more trouble breathing as his panic and heart rate climbed, and it was all too private of a conversation to be having in a room full of people, people that he did not trust with any fiber of his being. He was not even sure if Jason trusted _him_ anymore, not with Bruce looming over them, or talk of entering the system… It was rapidly becoming more and more of a nightmare for him.

He met Bruce's gaze and conveyed as much as he could with his eyes. The man looked grim, but the point had thankfully gotten across well enough.

"Doctor Vickers, perhaps we should continue this conversation away from the children? There's no need to stress your patient, and Timothy is incredibly worried about his friend… not to mention the _sensitive_ subjects we are touching upon."

Much to his relief, the two of them made their way to the door, and disappeared outside without another word. He squirmed as Jason ripped the mask back off of his face to heave and spit up phlegm into the bedpan within his lap.

Dick watched silently as the older teen bit back a frustrated snarl as his hands shook, and Tim gently rubbed his shoulder. He honestly hadn't expected it all to be this bad. Sure, he had known, but hadn't _known_. It made him all the more grateful that Bruce had been there when his life had taken its turn for the worst. He couldn't even imagine what he would have done had he been stuck in the same position. Would he have ended up with a nice normal family? Would he have gotten stuck in some facility for unwanted kids? Or would he have ended up on the streets like Jason? Abandoned or having run off on his own? These were questions he truly couldn't answer, and judging by the boy's body language and edgy, defensive snarls, he was pretty sure that Jason was well beyond spooked by the whole situation and would be running the first chance he had if he didn't know it would kill him.

And as Tim began to unconsciously worry his lip again Dick honestly wondered what was going to come from all of this.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Much to Tim's dismay, he was not exempt from patrol that night, and when Jason had finally drifted off to sleep after the fiasco with the doctor, Bruce had dragged him back to the cave leaving Jason in the capable hands of Alfred.

Dick vacated the hospital room as well, for Bruce had not neglected to notice that Jason clearly had an issue with him. Rather than go home to Blüdhaven or patrol with them he stayed back to man the cave in Alfred's absence just in case of emergency.

Tim honestly was not sure how much of a help he would be. He was exhausted, sore from being crammed into a stiff chair, or perched on the edge of the hospital bed for the past twenty-four hours, and his nerves were shot even before he pulled his suit on.

As they leapt into the car and sped off into the night he was terrified of the confrontation that was sure to come before sunrise since Bruce would not at all be letting him out of his sight. It made patrol awkward… _tense_ , and as luck would have it, things were slow. Something that was normally a relief and preferred had him jumpy, on edge, and Tim was not daft. He knew Bruce could see it.

Half way through the night, with few words between them, he and Bruce took to the car once more to escape the cold as they cruised the streets. The ride was awkward, and Tim spent much of it of in his own world as he stared mindlessly out the tinted windows.

They had been at it nearly forty minutes when things came to a halt as the Batmobile slowed up and inevitably came to a stop in a quiet alley. Bruce cut the engine and released a heavy sigh, one that had Tim gripping at the edge of his cape in anticipation of that of which he had been dreading.

"We need to discuss what happens from here on out." Bruce's voice was calm, but seemed so loud in the dead of the night in such a confined area, and Tim couldn't help the shiver that went through him.

"I know." He confirmed softly, shutting his eyes behind the domino.

"Things cannot go back to what they were before. I may have been too hasty in giving you such free reign. While no one ended up hurt, someone _could_ have been, and in the end there is yet another individual who knows who we are. The more people that know our identities, the less safety we can pretend to have, and the more we have to stretch to protect them."

"I know…"

Bruce rubbed at a temple.

"Jason knows who we are. He is now highly involved, regardless if intentional or not. The boy is underage and hospitalized. I am afraid that not only would it be hazardous to his fragile heath for him to leave and return to, well, _home_ … but the fact is, he will not be _allowed_ to go back. Being under the legal age, and being orphaned, means that the hospital was required to alert children's services, despite him being seventeen. I was able to stall them as long as possible, but they are due to arrive in the morning to speak to the boy. I anticipate the confrontation going poorly, to say the least, considering his opinion and previous efforts to ensure avoidance of them."

Tim's face fell promptly and he drew in a sharp breath before meeting the cowl's gaze.

"I…I don't- _what_ does that mean? What will they _do_ with him?"

"Protocol would be to put him into the system. Attempt to place him in a foster home. Reality however is that at his age, with his history, he would likely end up placed in a group home rather than end up in an individual residence. He is seventeen with a troubled past, prone to violence of various natures, and has been subjected to the sex industry. There is plenty working against him and the right homes just aren't there to take such children in his position. He would be required to stay at the facility the remainder of the year at minimum, and would be permitted to stay until he reached twenty-one. There would be strict rules in place, a curfew, and absolutely no alcohol, drug use, or returning to his previous _activities_."

"I…see."

Bruce frowned and leaned back in his seat.

"Personally, _and correct me if I'm wrong_ , I think Jason would up and disappear the moment the eyes were off his back, regardless of state laws, or what he has been through. He is too reluctant to trust and has thus far been adamant about avoiding such a situation." He sighed. "Is this your opinion as well?"

Tim slumped his shoulders and nodded reluctantly.

"I get that impression, yeah…" He murmured. "I also find it unlikely that- that he would _return_ to his previous location, given that you know of it, and chances are high that you would attempt to reacquire him there and return him."

"Hmm… I thought so. It makes him a liability. One that I cannot chance. It is too much of a risk to let him fade back into the wood work."

"Then, _what_?" Tim pressed.

Bruce crossed his arms over his chest and stared ahead.

"Frequently I seemingly find myself put into a difficult position. Children have a horrible habit of falling onto my responsibility, into my care." He huffed. "Admittedly, they are usually far younger, and not so _hostile_ toward me. Regardless, I _do_ have a house full of unused rooms, and the financial stability to add another member to the household if I so chose-"

"You mean it!?" The teen erupted, face splitting into a wide grin as he pulled himself up on his knees. "He can stay? He won't have to go away?"

Despite the severity of the situation, Bruce let a hint of smile tug at his lips.

"Tim, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Like I initially did with Dick I can take him in as my ward. I do not foresee many legal complications as I am sure it will be a big relief to not add yet another teen into the system, especially at his age. There will be conditions, restrictions, and ultimately he would have to agree to not only the arrangements, but the stipulations involved. I have a strong suspicion that he will take some convincing, and the responsibility would fall upon you, considering that he and I got off on the wrong foot, and he harbors a strong distaste for Dick. He will have to turn his life around, things cannot continue as they have, and it will be a rough transition given how things must have been even prior to his father's disappearance and his mother's death. I can't say that I am thrilled about the situation, but given the risks involved, and his current wellbeing, I am willing to take a chance with him. Unfortunately, like the state, I can only force him to stay until he turns eighteen. Afterwards it is out of my hands if he insists upon leaving. That gives us roughly nine months to set him on the right track and convince him that certain things must remain secret, for everyone's sake."

Tim smiled and nodded thoughtfully, draping an arm around the back of his seat.

"I can manage that, I think. He did seem to like Alfred, _who couldn't really_ …and he would be with him the most considering the schedule you keep, and Dick living out of town. I would come around as often as I could, I already spend most of my free time at the manor."

"That's _another_ subject of discussion. I cannot have you getting distracted from your duties Tim. Granted, you handled yourself well to the degree that I did not suspect you of anything, but you allowed yourself to get attached to a civilian, something that ultimately dragged him into a case, one of which he _gave_ you himself. Even though Degan was in fact a legitimate problem, you _let_ a civilian dictate your actions, and you without a second thought gave away technology that could have linked the Wayne name to Batman. Even if it was for all the right reasons you need to be careful, more so than you have been as of late. There will be no more patrolling on your own. You will either be with myself or Nightwing until I have seen your decision making skills improve. Only when I am satisfied will you be permitted to patrol your own routes again."

"That's… understandable. Really." He smiled softly. "I really _am_ sorry Bruce. My head got away from me, but it won't happen again."

"No, it won't. One of these days you'll tell me how it happened in the first place, but for now I am willing to let that part slide as we have other things to worry about."

"Agreed."

"However, before we set back out, I need you to promise me something."

"Anything Bruce."

To that Bruce gave a legitimate grin.

"Don't make a habit of bringing home strays. I do believe that such a thing is Selina's department."

As the Batmobile sped out of the alleyway, both laughed for the first time in days, and Tim felt incredibly relieved.

"Sure thing, I promise."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-


End file.
